European Union (Referendum) Bill — Clause 1 — Report on Merits or Otherwise of UK Remaining a Member of the EU — 22 Nov 2013 at 11:00

Anna Soubry MP, Broxtowe voted not to require the production of a report on the merits or otherwise of the UK remaining a member of the EU.

The majority of MPs voted not to require the production of a report on the merits or otherwise of the United Kingdom remaining a member of the European Union. The proposal was that a set of specified organisations, plus any others the Secretary of State wished to add, would be consulted on the matter and a report produced to be laid before Parliament based on their responses.

The proposal was made via an amendment[1] to the European Union (Referendum) Bill[2] in the name of MP William Bain which read:

page 1, line 3, at end insert—

‘(1A) Before the appointment of the day on which the referendum is to be held, the Secretary of State shall consult the bodies listed in the Schedule (Organisations to be consulted before a referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union) on the merits or otherwise of the United Kingdom remaining a member of the European Union and shall lay before Parliament a report of the consultation.’.

The proposed new schedule (denoted NS2) was also published[3] and states the following:

ORGANISATIONS TO BE CONSULTED BEFORE A REFERENDUM ON THE UNITED KINGDOM’S MEMBERSHIP OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

(a) the Confederation for British Industry,

(b) the National Farmers Union,

(c) the Trades Union Congress,

(d) the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux,

(e) the Association of Chief Police Officers,

(f) Universities UK,

(g) the National Council of Voluntary Organisations,

(h) Friends of the Earth,

(i) the Local Government Association, and

(j) other organisations as the Secretary of State shall see fit.’.

The schedule was proposed in the names of MPs William Bain and Peter Hain.

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